Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-29
.oAI DUNGEON TO PALACE.
r,,maee breaches at The Hamp.
tons.

Listory.
Fur HAMpToNs, July 1O.-The Brook
/ tabernacle being closed for enlarge
IT. the Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage, D. D.,
nor. spent his first Sabbath away from
hock the present season at this summer
ne. His subject for to-day was, "From
noeon to Palace" and his text, "The
i of my department is at hand."-II
notify iv, 6.
he way out Of this world is SO blocked up
coffin and hearse, and undertaker's
de and screwdriver, that the Christian
hardly think as he ought of the most
erful passage in all his history. We
3 black instead of white over the place
ere the good man gets his last victory,
stand weeping over a heap of chains
ch the freed soul has shaken off, and
say: "Poor man! What pity it was
bad to come to this!" Come to what? By
time the people have assembled at the
equies that man has been three DAYS so
Dry that all the JOY of earth accumulated
id be wretchedness beside it, and he
pit better weep over you because you
tte stay, than you weep over him be-
sa he has to go. 1t is q fortunate thing
good man does not have to wait to
his own obsequies, they would be so
tcrdant with his own experience. If
Israelites should go back to Egypt and
hrn over the brick kilns they once left.
would not be any more sillv than that
fistian who should forsake Heaven and
be down and mourn because he had to
Ee this world. Our ideas of the Chris
Us death are morbid and sickly. We
upon it as dark hole, in which a
stumbles when his breath gives out.
whole subject is odorous with varnish
disnfectants, instead of being sweet
mignonette. Paul, in my text, takes
great clod of word, DEATH" and
bws it away, and speaks of his ode
urea beautiful, bright, suggestive
ID, descriptive of every Christians re-
ow, departure implies starting place
place of destination. When Paul
this world what was the starting
nt? 1t was scene of great physical
tress. 1t was the Tullianum, the lower
geon of the Mamertine prison. The
dungeon was bad enough, it having no
ans OF ingress or egress but through an
ming in the top. Through that the
[Oner was lowered, and through that
Ne all the food and air and light re-
he'd. 1t was terrible place, that upper
geon; but the Tullianum was the
9. dungeon, and that was still more
,chel the only light and the only air
hing through the roof, and that roof the
b Of the upper dungeon. That was
dis last earthly residence. It was n
lgeon just six feet and a half high. 1t
doleful place. 1t had the chill of
Egcenturies of, dampness. 1t was filthy
the long incarceration of miserable
ENhes. 1t was there that Paul spent
last days on earth, and it is there that
chin to-day, in the fearful dungeon,
vting, blue with the cold, waiting for
tod overcoat which he had sent for up
[:oas, and which they had not yet sent
!, Notwithstanding he had written
pme skillful surgeon should go into
1ngeon where Paul is incarcerated,
kyAt find out what are the prospects
nRIs living through the rough inn
ament. In the first place, he is an
pan, only two years short of 20. At
very time when he most needs the
eth and the sunlight and the fresh
he is shut out from the sun. What
hose scars on his ankles? Why, those
gotten when he was fast, his feet in
stocks. Every time he turned the
Oh his ankles started. What are
scars on his back? You know he
whipped five times, each time getting
.nne stroEes-195 bruises on the
count themD made by the Jews with
OF elmwood, each one of the 1876
ts bringing the blood. Look at
face and look at his arms. Where
te get those bruises? l think it was
he was struggling ashore amidst the
|lea tmbers OF the shipwreck. l see
IN Paul's side. Where did he get
| think he got that in the tussle
A,lshwaymen, for he had been in peril
l'Oers and he had money of his own.
as 4 mechanic as we'll as al apostle.
think the tents he made were as
as his sermons.
ere Is wanness about Paul's looks.
makes that? l think part of that
rom the fact that he was for swenty-
hours on plank in the Mediterranean
sGlhellng terribly, before he was res
ioE he SAYS positively: 81 was a
anu day in the deep" Oh, worn
Elaciated old man! surely you must
I1!!aAcholy. No constitution could en-
sls and be cheerful. But press my
trough the prison until I come up
10 where he is, and by the faint light
asams through the opening 1 see on
Es supernatural Joy, and bow be-
Iln and say: aged man, how can
ssp cheerful amidst all this gloom?"
wee startles the darkness of the place
yhes out: II am now ready to be
" ana :, the time of my departure is
/" ., mark. what is that shutting of
ne upper dungeon? Why, Paul
~ NV ~: ha'lon to banquet, and he is
w. " alne to-day with the King. Those
n +, leet are the feet of the execution
Aey come, and they cry down
,4 the hole of the dungeon:
,5 W. old man. Come now; get your
ANY, ; Why, Paul was ready. He
s'. ~ TO pack up, He had no bag
1 ne lie had been ready a good
o,, NE i: nm rising up, and straight
~. ms stitfened limbs. and pushing
as1 Silte hair from his creviced fore
1, ~ See him looking up through the
i i;e roof of the dungeon into the
a a,s eSecutioner, and hear him say:
r Of Old man, or you vii! feel the
ia. our spear. Hurry along"
~ . ~ IT, says Paul. Eve have to
,r hree miles" Three miles is
an y -, .ol an old man to travel after he
~, "Aipped and crippled with mall
cn,;o out they soon get to the place
"a ,oo'.I,Acquae Salvia-and he is
Of ta,. me pillar of martyrdom. 1t
s.ss sNe any strength to tie him fast.
ito s :. no resistance. O Paul! why
frio' ,of your life? You have great
X, E ll here. With that withered
rnt 1aunch the thunderbolt of the
won those infon,o.s sall;aas Nj